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List of Doctor Who supporting characters
Over the course of its many years on television, the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who has not only seen changes in the actors to play the Doctor, but in the supporting cast as well. This is not an attempt to make a comprehensive list of all supporting characters or alien races in Doctor Who, but merely the most significant. Companions The Doctor is usually accompanied in his travels by one to three companions (sometimes called assistants). These characters provide a surrogate with whom the audience can identify, and further the story by asking questions and getting into trouble. The Doctor regularly gains new companions and loses old ones; sometimes they return home, or find new causes on worlds they have visited. Some companions (notably Katarina, Sara Kingdom and Adric) have died during the course of the series. There is some disagreement over the definition of a companion. Most companions travel in the TARDIS with the Doctor for more than one adventure, although there are exceptions: Liz Shaw never traveled in the TARDIS in the television series, and Sara Kingdom died in the same adventure in which she made her debut. Fans also disagree on whether Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and other UNIT staff, who sometimes filled the companion's dramatic role during the Third Doctor's exile on Earth, should be counted as companons. Sometimes a guest character will take a role in the story similar to that of a companion: the most recent example is Lynda in Bad Wolf and The Parting of the Ways. The new series (2005–) has slightly altered the significance of the companion status, partly due to a strong focus on the character of Rose Tyler and characters connected to her. For example, although Adam Mitchell was a companion by the standard definition, he appeared in only two episodes and was arguably a less significant part of the 2005 series than Rose's sometime boyfriend Mickey Smith, who was not technically a companion but appeared in five episodes (or six, including a brief appearance as a child in Father's Day). See also Category:Doctor Who companions. with the First Doctor *Susan Foreman (Carole Ann Ford) (Seasons 1–2) *Barbara Wright (Jacqueline Hill) (Seasons 1–2) *Ian Chesterton (William Russell) (Seasons 1–2) *Vicki (Maureen O'Brien) (Seasons 2–3) *Steven Taylor (Peter Purves) (Seasons 2–3) *Katarina (Adrienne Hill) (Season 3) *Sara Kingdom (Jean Marsh) (Season 3) *Dorothea "Dodo" Chaplet (Jackie Lane) (Season 3) *Ben Jackson (Michael Craze) (Seasons 3–4) *Polly (Anneke Wills) (Seasons 3–4) with the Second Doctor *Ben Jackson (Season 4) *Polly (Season 4) *James Robert "Jamie" McCrimmon (Frazer Hines) (Seasons 4–6) *Victoria Waterfield (Deborah Watling) (Seasons 4–5) *Zoe Heriot (Wendy Padbury) (Seasons 5–6) with the Third Doctor *Dr. Elizabeth "Liz" Shaw (Caroline John) (Season 7) *Josephine "Jo" Grant (Katy Manning) (Seasons 8–10) *Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) (Season 11) with the Fourth Doctor * Sarah Jane Smith (Seasons 12–14) *Harry Sullivan (Ian Marter) (Seasons 12–13) *Leela (Louise Jameson) (Seasons 14–15) *K-9 Mark I (voice of John Leeson) (Season 15) *K-9 Mark II (voice of John Leeson 16 and 18), voice of David Brierley 17) *Romanadvoratrelundar ("Romana") (Mary Tamm 16; Lalla Ward 17–18) *Adric (Matthew Waterhouse) (Season 18) *Nyssa of Traken (Sarah Sutton) (Season 18) *Tegan Jovanka (Janet Fielding) (Season 18) with the Fifth Doctor *Adric (Season 19) *Nyssa of Traken (Seasons 19–20) *Tegan Jovanka (Seasons 19–21) *Vislor Turlough (Mark Strickson) (Seasons 20–21) *Kamelion (voice of Gerald Flood) (Seasons 20, 21) *Perpugilliam "Peri" Brown (Nicola Bryant) (Season 21) with the Sixth Doctor *Perpugilliam "Peri" Brown (Seasons 21–23) *Melanie "Mel" Bush (Bonnie Langford) (Season 23) with the Seventh Doctor *Melanie "Mel" Bush (Season 24) *Dorothy ("Ace") (Sophie Aldred) (Seasons 24–26) with the Eighth Doctor *Dr. Grace Holloway (Daphne Ashbrook) (1996 television movie) with the Ninth Doctor *Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) (Series 1, 2005) *Adam Mitchell (Bruno Langley) (Series 1, 2005) *"Captain Jack" Harkness (John Barrowman) (Series 1, 2005) with the Tenth Doctor *Rose Tyler (Series 2, 2006) *Mickey Smith (Noel Clarke) (Series 2, 2006): not yet shown *Jack Harkness (Series 3, 2007): not yet shown Notes #Sara Kingdom died in the same story in which she first appears. Some fans define her as a companion and others do not. Similiarly, there is dispute over the companion status of Dr Grace Holloway from the 1996 telemovie, who is offered the chance to travel with the Doctor but declines, and therefore appeared only once. Another character from the telemovie, Chang Lee, is sometimes described as a companion as well, although to be accurate he was actually a companion of the Master. #Susan, Jamie, Harry and Sarah Jane have guest-starred in later stories. Zoe, Liz, Adric, Tegan, Nyssa, Turlough and Kamelion have reappeared in cameo roles, played by the original actors rather than in stock footage or still photos. K-9 Mark III has also made a cameo. #Among characters likely to have last names, but for whom none was ever established, was Vicki. Polly's last name is never given on-screen but her character outline gave it as "Wright". A mishearing of an audio recording led some to believe her surname was "Lopez". Mel's last name was never mentioned in the series, but comes from official background literature for the character. Turlough's first name was not established until his final story. #Of the companions, Katarina, Sara Kingdom, Adric, Kamelion, Grace Holloway and Jack Harkness have died on-screen. Grace and Jack, however, were both almost immediately resurrected. Peri appeared to have died in The Trial of a Time Lord, but this was later revealed to be a deception by the Valeyard. #Jamie was played by Hamish Wilson in The Mind Robber episode 2, as Frazer Hines was suffering from chicken pox during filming. #Kamelion, an actual robotic prop, which had chronic technical problems on the set, appeared in only one story in Season 20 and a second in Season 21, in which it was destroyed. Because Kamelion could change shape into anyone, a number of actors played it. Since it only appeared in two stories (a third appearance was filmed but not aired), its status as a companion is a matter of debate. #The series never establishes how The Doctor first meets Mel: she just appears mid-way through The Trial of a Time Lord, although it was recounted in the PDA Business Unusual. #Spin-off media have established Ace's surname as McShane. The production team had intended that if revealed in the course of a story Ace would either have the last name Gale (an allusion to the movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'') or whatever would suit the story. Various novels and audio dramas have offered at least three possible explanations as to how Ace's life progressed after the end of the series. #Billie Piper, who plays current companion Rose Tyler, was only seven years old when Doctor Who last aired as a weekly first-run series in 1989. #Adam Mitchell was the first companion to be expelled by the Doctor for bad behaviour. #Sarah Jane Smith will return in the 2006 series episode School Reunion. Early indications are that this will be a one-episode guest appearance, similar to her appearance in The Five Doctors, rather than a recurring role. Other recurring or important characters *Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart (Nicholas Courtney) *Sergeant Benton (John Levene) *Captain Mike Yates (Richard Franklin) *Borusa (John Arnatt; Philip Latham; Angus MacKay; Leonard Sachs) *The White Guardian (Cyril Luckham) *The Inquistor (Lynda Bellingham) *Sabalom Glitz (Tony Selby) *Jackie Tyler (Camille Coduri) *Mickey Smith *Pete Tyler (Shaun Dingwall) - not yet shown *Harriet Jones (Penelope Wilton) Notes #Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart is thought to be a companion by some, though by others he is not. The argument over whether he is an acceptable companion continues to this day, although he is on the list of companions on the BBC's Doctor Who website. #Some fans also consider UNIT era regulars Sergeant Benton and Captain Mike Yates to be "companions" although they do not fit the accepted definition. Benton and Yates appeared as regulars in Season 8, again making other appearances before and after. #Lethbridge-Stewart appeared as a regular in Seasons 7 and 8 (as well as making guest appearances before and since). Nicholas Courtney, along with his role as Brett Vyon in The Daleks' Master Plan, his appearance in the charity special Dimensions in Time and his participation in the Eighth Doctor audio play Minuet in Hell, has the distinction of having acted with every screen Doctor before the Ninth. #The Inquisitor and The Valeyard appeared in every episode of Season 23. #Mickey Smith was a significant recurring character in the 2005 series, prior to becoming a companion in 2006. Recurring or significant villains (See also Category:Doctor Who villains and List of Doctor Who villains) *The Meddling Monk (Peter Butterworth) *The Master (Roger Delgado; Peter Pratt; Geoffrey Beevers; Anthony Ainley; Gordon Tipple; Eric Roberts) *Davros (Michael Wisher; David Gooderson; Terry Molloy) *Omega (Stephen Thorne; Ian Collier) *The Black Guardian (Valentine Dyall) *The Mara *Sil (Nabil Shaban) *The Rani (Kate O'Mara) *The Valeyard (Michael Jayston) *The Cyber Controller (Michael Kilgarriff) and Cyberleaders (David Banks) *The Dalek Emperor and Dalek Supreme *Lytton (Maurice Colbourne) *"Margaret Blaine" Slitheen (Annette Badland) *Lady Cassandra (Zoe Wanamaker) Notes #The Master appeared as a regular in Season 8 and has many guest appearances in subsequent seasons and the television movie. The Valeyard appeared in every episode of Season 23, a season that comprised just one story (albeit split into four segments): The Trial of a Time Lord. Significant alien species (See also Category:Doctor Who races and List of Doctor Who aliens.) *Autons *Cybermen *Daleks *Draconians *Ice Warriors *Ogrons *Rutan Host *Sea Devils *Silurians *Slitheen *Sontarans *Yeti *Zygons Characters from Doctor Who spin-offs The Doctor Who comics, novels and audio dramas have created companions, villains and supporting characters of their own. Some of these originated in one medium and later appeared in another. The lists below indicate where a character has appeared. The canonicity of these spin-offs is unclear. Companions (See also List of Doctor Who spin-off companions) with the First Doctor *John and Gillian (TV Comic comic strip) with the Second Doctor *John and Gillian (TV Comic comic strip) with the Fourth Doctor *Sharon (Doctor Who Magazine comic strip) with the Fifth Doctor *Sir Justin (Doctor Who Magazine comic strip) *Angus "Gus" Goodman (Doctor Who Magazine comic strip) *Erimemushinteperem (Caroline Morris) (Big Finish Productions; Telos novella) with the Sixth Doctor *Frobisher (Robert Jezek) (Doctor Who Magazine comic strip; Big Finish Productions; Past Doctor Adventures) *Grant Markham (Missing Adventures) *Angela Jennings (Missing Adventures) *Dr. Evelyn Smythe (Maggie Stables) (Big Finish Productions; Past Doctor Adventures) with the Seventh Doctor *Frobisher (Doctor Who Magazine comic strip) *Thomas Hector "Hex" Schofield (Philip Olivier) (Big Finish Productions) *Bernice "Benny" Summerfield (Lisa Bowerman) (New Adventures; Big Finish Productions) *Chris Cwej (New Adventures) *Roz Forrester (New Adventures) *Antimony (Death Comes to Time) *Catherine Broome (Telos novella) with the Eighth Doctor *Bernice "Benny" Summerfield (New Adventures) *Izzy Sinclair (Doctor Who Magazine comic strip) *Fey Truscott-Sade (Doctor Who Magazine comic strip) *Destrii (Doctor Who Magazine comic strip) *Stacy Townsend (Radio Times comic strip) *Ssard (Radio Times comic strip) *Samantha "Sam" Jones (Eighth Doctor Adventures) *Fitz Kreiner (Eighth Doctor Adventures) *Compassion (Jackie Skarvellis) (Eighth Doctor Adventures, Faction Paradox) *Miranda (Eighth Doctor Adventures) *Anji Kapoor (Eighth Doctor Adventures) *Beatrix MacMillan (Eighth Doctor Adventures) *Charlotte Elspeth "Charley" Pollard (India Fisher) (Big Finish Productions) *C'rizz (Conrad Westmaas) (Big Finish Productions) Other recurring or important characters *Abslom Daak (Doctor Who Magazine comic strip; New Adventures) *Beep the Meep (Toby Longworth) (Doctor Who Magazine comic strip; Big Finish Productions) *Iris Wildthyme (Katy Manning) (Eighth Doctor Adventures; Past Doctor Adventures; Big Finish Productions) *Jason Kane (Stephen Fewell) (New Adventures; Big Finish Productions) *K-9 Mark III (John Leeson) (K-9 and Company) *Kadiatu Lethbridge-Stewart (New Adventures) *Muriel Frost (Karen Henson) (Doctor Who Magazine comic strip; Big Finish Productions) *Sabbath (Saul Jaffe) (Eighth Doctor Adventures; Faction Paradox) *Shayde (Mark Donovan) (Doctor Who Magazine comic strip; Big Finish Productions) *Timewyrm (New Adventures) See also *List of Bernice Summerfield characters External links *The Doctor Who Image Archive Category:Doctor Who characters Supporting characters Doctor Who characters